System and method for a minimized antenna apparatus with selectable elements

Abstract

A system and method for a wireless link to a remote receiver includes a communication device for generating RF and an antenna apparatus for transmitting the RF. The antenna apparatus comprises a plurality of substantially coplanar modified dipoles. Each modified dipole provides gain with respect to isotropic and a horizontally polarized directional radiation pattern. Further, each modified dipole has one or more loading structures configured to decrease the footprint (i.e., the physical dimension) of the modified dipole and minimize the size of the antenna apparatus. The modified dipoles may be electrically switched to result in various radiation patterns. With multiple of the plurality of modified dipoles active, the antenna apparatus may form an omnidirectional horizontally polarized radiation pattern. One or more directors may be included to concentrate the radiation pattern. The antenna apparatus may be conformally mounted to a housing containing the communication device and the antenna apparatus.

1. A selectable antenna element apparatus, comprising:
 a substrate having a first side and a second side substantially parallel to the first side; 
 a plurality of active antenna elements on the first side, each active antenna element configured to be selectively coupled to a communication device to form a first portion of a modified dipole; and 
 a ground component on the second side, the ground component configured to form a second portion of the modified dipole, each modified dipole having one or more loading structures configured to decrease a footprint and change the resonance of the modified dipole, the modified dipole producing an omnidirectional horizontally polarized radiation pattern with polarization substantially in the plane of the substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of active antenna elements produce the omnidirectional radiation pattern when two or more of the antenna elements are coupled to the communication device. 
     
     
       3. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the ground component configured to form the second portion of the modified dipole is on the same side of the substrate as the first portion of the modified dipole. 
     
     
       4. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an antenna element selector coupled to each active antenna element, the antenna element selector configured to selectively couple each active antenna element to the communication device. 
     
     
       5. The antenna apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the antenna element selector comprises a PIN diode. 
     
     
       6. The antenna apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the antenna element selector comprises a single pole single throw RF switch. 
     
     
       7. The antenna apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a visual indicator coupled to the antenna element selector, the visual indicator configured to indicate which of the active antenna elements is selectively coupled to the communication device. 
     
     
       8. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a match with less than 10 dB return loss is maintained when one or more active antenna elements are coupled to the communication device. 
     
     
       9. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a substantially rectangular dielectric sheet and each of the modified dipoles is oriented substantially parallel to edges of the substrate. 
     
     
       10. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       11. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more directors configured to concentrate the directional radiation pattern. 
     
     
       12. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a combined radiation pattern resulting from, two or more active antenna elements being selectively coupled to the communication device is more directional than the radiation pattern of a single active antenna element. 
     
     
       13. The antenna apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a combined radiation pattern resulting from two or more active, antenna elements being coupled to the communication device is less directional than the radiation pattern of a single active antenna element. 
     
     
       14. A selectable antenna element apparatus comprising
 a plurality of substantially coplanar modified dipoles, each modified dipole having one or more loading structures configured to decrease a footprint and change the resonance of the modified dipole, wherein the plurality of modified dipoles are configured to produce an omnidirectional horizontally polarized radiation pattern with polarization substantially m the plane of the coplanar modified dipoles; and 
 one or more directors configured to concentrate the radiation pattern of one or more of the modified dipoles. 
 
     
     
       15. The antenna apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of modified dipoles comprise radio frequency conducting material configured to be conformally mounted to a housing containing the antenna apparatus. 
     
     
       16. The antenna apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of modified dipoles comprise radio frequency conducting material configured to be conformally mounted to the outside of a substrate housing. 
     
     
       17. The antenna apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of modified dipoles is configured to be selectively coupled to a communication device. 
     
     
       18. The antenna apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a PIN diode configured to selectively couple each of the plurality of modified dipoles to the communication device. 
     
     
       19. The antenna apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a combined radiation pattern resulting from two or more modified dipoles being coupled to the communication device is more directional than the radiation pattern of a single modified dipole. 
     
     
       20. The antenna apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a combined radiation pattern resulting from two or more modified dipoles being coupled to the communication device is less directional than the radiation pattern of a single modified dipole. 
     
     
       21. The antenna apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a combined radiation pattern resulting from two or more modified dipoles being coupled to the communication device is offset in direction from the radiation pattern of a single modified dipole. 
     
     
       22. The antenna apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein a match with less than 10 dB return loss is maintained when one or more modified dipoles is coupled to the communication device. 
     
     
       23. A method for receiving and transmitting a radio frequency signal, comprising:
 generating a radio frequency signal in a communication device; 
 radiating the radio frequency signal with an antenna apparatus comprising a plurality of modified dipoles, each modified dipole having one or more loading structures configured to decrease a footprint and change the resonance of the modified dipole; 
 coupling two or more of the plurality of modified dipoles to the communication device to result in an omnidirectional horizontally polarized radiation pattern with polarization substantially in the plane of the two or more of the plurality of modified dipoles; and 
 concentrating a radiation pattern of one or more of the modified dipoles with one or more directors. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , further comprising coupling two or more of the plurality of modified dipoles to the communication device to result in a directional radiation pattern.